2009 Nominees for International Bluegrass Music Awards Announced

Posted by Lisa L. Rollins Aug 21, 2009

The International Bluegrass Music Association has announced the nominees for the 20th Annual International Bluegrass Music Awards, hosted by Grammy-winning country artist Kathy Mattea and the bluegrass band Hot Rize on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009, at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn.

The bluegrass industry's highest honors of the year go to the new members of the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. This year's inductees are The Lonesome Pine Fiddlers, the legendary string band formed in 1937 by Ezra, Ray and Ned Cline in West Virginia; and The Dillards, the influential band from Salem, Mo., known for their popular appearances on The Andy Griffith Show who blazed a trail on the West Coast in the 1960s for progressive bluegrass bands and were instrumental in laying the foundation for the "country rock" music genre.

IBMA's Distinguished Achievement Award is an honor which recognizes individuals, groups and businesses for ground-breaking work and fostering the music's image and accessibility. This year's recipients are early bluegrass pioneer Hylo Brown; long-time event producer from Maine, Pati Crooker; veteran performer and radio announcer Jody Rainwater; author, musicology and radio broadcaster Dick Spottswood; and the National Council for the Traditional Art's Joe Wilson.

The award show will be broadcast live on Sirius XM Satellite Radio ("Bluegrass Junction" Channel 14) and syndicated to more than 300 U.S. markets and 14 foreign networks, thanks to the sponsorship of Martha White, GHS Strings, Sugar Hill Records, Deering Banjos, Bluegrass Music Profiles and the International Bluegrass Music Museum

The International Bluegrass Music Awards are voted on by the professional membership of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), which serves as the trade association for the bluegrass music industry. The IBMA show is the centerpiece of the World of Bluegrass week, including the industry's Business Conference and Bluegrass Fan Fest, slated for Sept. 28-Oct. 4 in Nashville.

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

• Dailey & Vincent
• The Grascals
• Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
• The Del McCoury Band
• Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
• Dan Tyminski Band

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

• Blue Highway
• Dailey & Vincent
• The Isaacs
• Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
• Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out

INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

• Blue Highway
• Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
• The Infamous Stringdusters
• Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
• Dan Tyminski Band

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

• Jamie Dailey
• Russell Moore
• Danny Paisley
• Junior Sisk
• Dan Tyminski

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

• Dale Ann Bradley
• Sonya Isaacs
• Claire Lynch
• Alecia Nugent
• Rhonda Vincent

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Recording Title, Artist(s), Producer(s), Label

• Blue Side Of The Blue Ridge, Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice (artist), Ronnie Bowman (producer), Rebel Records
• Brothers From Different Mothers, Dailey & Vincent (artist), Jamie Dailey & Darrin Vincent (producers), Rounder Records
• Keep On Walkin', The Grascals (artist/producers), Rounder Records
• The Room Over Mine, Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass (artist), Ken Irwin & Danny Paisley (producers), Rounder Records
• Wheels, Dan Tyminski, (artist/producer), Rounder Records

SONG OF THE YEAR

Song Title, Artist(s), Songwriter(s)

• "Don't Throw Mama's Flowers Away," Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass (artist), Chris Stuart & Ivan Rosenberg (writers)
• "Iron & Diamonds," The Gibson Brothers (artist), Leigh & Eric Gibson (writers)
• "Leaving Baker County," Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice (artist), Tom T. & Dixie Hall (writers)
• "Moneyland," Del McCoury Band (artist), John Herald (writer)
• "Wheels," Dan Tyminski (artist), Patrick McDougal (writer)

RECORDED EVENT OF THE YEAR

Song Title, Featured Artists, Producer(s), Label

• "After The Fire Is Gone;" Bobby Osborne, Rhonda Vincent & Darrin Vincent (artists); Glen Duncan & Bobby Osborne (producers); Rounder Records
• "The Crow," Steve Martin with Tony Trischka (artists), John McEuen (producer), 40 Share Productions
• "Daddy Played The Banjo;" Steve Martin with Tim O'Brien & Earl Scruggs (artists), John McEuen (producer), 40 Share Productions
• "Proud To Be A Daughter of Bluegrass;" Daughters of Bluegrass featuring Dale Ann Bradley, Heather Berry, Lisa Martin, Gloria Belle, Sierra Hull, Rhonda Vincent, Lisa Ray, Linda Lay, Sally Jones, Jeanie Stanley, Carol Lee Cooper, Sonya Isaacs, Becky Isaacs Bowman, Michelle Nixon, Jeanette Williams, Sophie Haislip, Louise Tomberlain, Mindy Rakestraw, Lizzy Long, Frances Mooney, Lorraine Jordan, Annette Kelley, Lily Lieux, Dixie Hall, Judi Marshall, Melissa Lawrence, Beth Lawrence, Rebecca Frazier, Donica Christensen, Lisa Manning & Jenni Lyn Gardner (artists); Dixie Hall, Paula Wolak & Frances Mooney (producers); Blue Circle Records
• "Sad Wind Sighs," The Grascals with Vince Gill (artists), The Grascals (producers), Rounder Records

GOSPEL RECORDED PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

Song Title, Artist(s), Songwriter(s), Producer, Label

• "Darkness Wept," Lonesome River Band (artist/producers), Dee Gaskin & Rebecca Bowman (writers), Rural Rhythm Records
• "On The Other Side;" Dailey & Vincent (artist); Jimmy Fortune, Kevin Denney & Tom Botkin (writers); Jamie Dailey & Darrin Vincent (producers); Rounder Records
• "What A Journey," Paul Williams & The Victory Trio (artist), Bret Bronson & Louise Gorman (writers), Paul Williams (producer), Rebel Records
• "When The Last Of Our Days Shall Come," Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (artist), Chris Stuart (writer), Doyle Lawson (producer), Rounder Records
• "Who'll Sing for Me?" Audie Blaylock & Redline (artist), Thomas J. Farris (writer), Audie Blaylock (producer), Rural Rhythm Records

INSTRUMENTAL RECORDED PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

Tune Title, Artist(s), Songwriter, Producer(s), Label

• "Angeline The Baker," Rob Ickes & Andy Leftwich (artists), public domain, Rob Haines (producer), Mel Bay Music
• "The Crow," Steve Martin (artist/writer), John McEuen (producer), 40 Share Productions
• "Don't Tread On Me," Kristin Scott Benson (artist/writer/producer), Pinecastle Records
• "Jerusalem Ridge," Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper (artist), Bill Monroe (writer), Jeff White & Michael Cleveland (producers), Rounder Records
• "Struttin' To Ferrum," Lonesome River Band (artist/producer), arrangement by Gene Parker, Rural Rhythm Records

EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR

• Sierra Hull & Highway 111
• Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass
• Junior Sisk & Rambler's Choice
• The SteelDrivers
• Josh Williams Band

INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMERS OF THE YEAR BANJO

• Kristin Scott Benson
• J.D. Crowe
• Steve Martin
• Sammy Shelor
• Ron Stewart

BASS

• Barry Bales
• Mike Bub
• Missy Raines
• Darrin Vincent
• Marshall Wilborn

FIDDLE

• Hunter Berry
• Jason Carter
• Michael Cleveland
• Stuart Duncan
• Ron Stewart

DOBRO

• Mike Auldridge
• Jerry Douglas
• Andy Hall
• Rob Ickes
• Randy Kohrs
• Phil Leadbetter

GUITAR

• Jim Hurst
• Tony Rice
• Kenny Smith
• Bryan Sutton
• Josh Williams

MANDOLIN

• Jesse Brock
• Sam Bush
• Sierra Hull
• Ronnie McCoury
• Adam Steffey

BLUEGRASS EVENT OF THE YEAR

• Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival; Oak Hill, New York; July 2008
• 33rd Annual Tri-State Bluegrass Festival; Kendallville, Indiana; May 2008
• 2008 World Cultural Fusion Festival; Kawaguchi City, Japan; July 2008

BLUEGRASS BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR

• Kyle Cantrell; Sirius XM Satellite Radio; Nashville, Tennessee
• Katy Daly; HD Radio WAMU 88.5 Channel 2, 105.5 FM & www.bluegrasscountry.org; Washington, D.C.
• Ned Luberecki; Sirius XM Satellite Radio; Nashville, Tennessee

PRINT MEDIA PERSON OF THE YEAR

• Tom Adams, Banjo Newsletter
• Dan Miller, Flatpicking Guitar
• Roger Siminoff; Siminoff's Luthiers Glossary, Banjo Newsletter and Bluegrass Breakdown

LINER NOTES FOR RECORDED PROJECT

Writers, Album, Artists, Label

• Charlie Cushman, Marty Stuart, Eddie Stubbs & Johnny Warren (writers); A Tribute to Fiddlin' Paul Warren; Johnny Warren & Charlie Cushman (artists); no label
• Eddie Dean (writer); Old-Time Pickin': A Clawhammer Banjo Collection, Ralph Stanley (artist), Rebel Records
• Steve Martin (writer), The Crow, Steve Martin (artist), 40 Share Productions

BEST GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR RECORDED PROJECT

Designer, Album, Artists, Label

• G. Carr & Salli Ratts (designers), The Crow, Steve Martin (artist), 40 Share Productions
• Stumptown Printers (designer), Uncle Charlie Osborne: The June Appal Recordings, Uncle Charlie Osborne (artist), June Appal Recordings
• Loren Witcher (designer), Inside Out, Missy Raines & the New Hip (artist), Compass Records